YANGON, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's Yangon Bus Service (YBS) is projecting to implement a card payment system to replace the present cash box system to facilitate passengers in taking buses, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday.

Within the next nine months, the YBS is planning to change the present system to card payment one step by step and Asia Starmar Transport Intelligent Company will run the service, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein told the authorities Wednesday.

The move will make the new system initially available with 4,000 buses, a marketing officer was also quoted as saying.

During the project, bus fare is till fixed and after the pilot project time, the card payment system will detect depending on the distance and a total of 380 top up agencies will widely be opened in Yangon.

The transport authorities have invited local and foreign joint-venture companies to bid for tender for operating related card payment services since last year that include card issuing, card acquiring and card top-up agency.

Aimed at enhancing better transport service and reducing traffic congestion, the regional government introduced the new Yangon Bus Service (YBS) system in January last year, under which the number of bus lines was initially cut from more than 300 to 70 to solve the traffic jam problem.

There are at present more than 90 bus lines, run by the newly-established YBS with over 5,000 buses serving over 2 million passengers daily.

Meanwhile, the Yangon Region Road Transport Administration has also de-registered over 2,000 outdated public transport vehicles, removing them from running in the former capital for the purpose of safety and environmental conservation.